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Rare gilt bronze commemorative medal issued for the inaugural Olympic Congress, held in Paris in June 1894, from the collection of Javier Gómez-Navarro, Vice-President of the Organizing Committee of the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics. Gilt bronze, 51 mm, 64 gm, by Huguenin. The obverse features a cluster of oak and laurel leaves surrounding a central tablet bearing the raised date “23 Juin 1894,” while the reverse displays additional foliage and the French inscription (translated): “The International Congress of Paris Proclaims the Restoration of the Olympic Games.” Encapsulated and graded by NGC as "MS 66.” Most known examples of this historic medal are struck in bronze, making gilt bronze specimens exceptionally rare; the only other known gilt bronze example is preserved in the Royal Collection Trust.
On June 16, 1894, the first Olympic Congress convened in the auditorium of the Sorbonne University in Paris. A week later, on June 23rd, Pierre de Coubertin’s vision became a reality when delegates unanimously adopted a resolution to revive the Olympic Games. The Congress led directly to the establishment of the International Olympic Committee, with Coubertin serving as its general secretary before later becoming president, and to the selection of Athens as host of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Commemorating the historic gathering that gave rise to both the IOC and the modern Olympic movement, this medal stands among the earliest and most significant relics of Olympic history. A rare opportunity to own the first medal of the modern Olympic tradition.
Javier Gómez-Navarro (1945–2024) was a Spanish politician, businessman, and sports administrator whose career was closely intertwined with the modernization of Spanish sport and tourism. Gómez-Navarro served as Spain's Secretary of State for Sport from 1987 to 1993, during which time he helped reform the nation's sporting infrastructure and worked with the private sector to transform professional sports clubs into limited companies. He also served as Vice-President of the Organizing Committee of the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics, playing a key role in the planning and execution of the Games that helped redefine Barcelona's international image and showcased Spain on the world stage. In recognition of his contributions to the Olympic Movement and the success of the Barcelona Games, Gómez-Navarro received the Olympic Order in Gold from the International Olympic Committee in 1992. He later served as Spain's Minister of Trade and Tourism from 1993 to 1996.
